Stephen Wright is keeping his fingers crossed that his latest thigh injury does not spell the end of his season.

The Sunderland right-back missed five games with a thigh problem before making his comeback against Wigan at the JJB Stadium on Saturday.

But Wright's return lasted just 40 minutes before he was substituted with a recurrence of the injury, and a scan has revealed a muscle tear that will keep him out for at least a fortnight, with Darren Williams deputising for the former Liverpool man.

Wright said: "All of the injuries have been on my left leg. I'm sure it's only coincidence but it's been a bit of a nightmare.

"I felt my thigh go quite early on Saturday. I went in for a tackle and my leg bent under me, and I felt a sharp pain.

"I tried to carry on to see if it would get better but it didn't.

"I had a scan yesterday and it has shown a tear, which is really disappointing.

"The physio says we'll give it a couple of weeks and see how it is. Hopefully it won't go on longer than that."

A fortnight's absence would rule him out of Sunderland's final three league games - against Crewe on Saturday, Norwich on Tuesday and Burnley a week on Sunday - but, depending on how his recovery goes, he could still play a part in the play-offs, should Sunderland secure a top-six finish.

Wright said: "Hopefully it won't go on that long but you can't be sure.

"It'll be hard not being available for the last few league games but the lads can make sure we're in the play-offs if they win against Crewe on Saturday and I'll do everything I can to be back.

"The play-off games will decide our season and I want to play a part in hopefully getting the club back into the Premiership."

Wright joins knee injury victims George McCartney and Julio Arca on the sidelines.

McCartney is still recovering from the knock he suffered against West Brom, while Arca saw a specialist about his knee injury yesterday, although the Argentinian is not thought to have suffered any major damage.